


out of a clear blue sky

by tonyang (kurusui)



Category: Oh My Girl (Band)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-18
Updated: 2017-08-18
Packaged: 2018-12-16 23:58:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11839719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kurusui/pseuds/tonyang
Summary: Mihyun starts the school year with a new job and ends it with an aching heart. (modern AU)





	out of a clear blue sky

**Author's Note:**

  * For [umji](https://archiveofourown.org/users/umji/gifts).



> crossposted from [here](https://ohmygirlexchange.dreamwidth.org/7770.html) for the 2017 omg fic exchange, pls check it out!
> 
> prompt: fluffy/domestic fic + bonus: arin tries to teach person 2 how to skate because they're no good at it. out of a clear blue sky is the same thing as 'out of the blue' or unexpectedly. rly hope that my recipient was able to enjoy this... and lastly bcs i don't think everyone knows, [jjung and mim](https://twitter.com/_OMG_tweets/status/835735943160029184) are their real nicknames!

**FALL.**

On her first day at Strawberry, Mihyun meets Choi Hyojung.

The accessories store is in the mall she frequents with her friends, so she’s passed by it plenty of times. Mihyun hasn’t been in there for ages, but Shiah buys hair ties there. When reticent Mihyun asks if it’s a good idea to apply for a job there, Shiah shrugs and says there can’t be any harm in trying.

“If you aren’t afraid of middle school girls, go for it,” Yoobin says sweetly. Mihyun isn’t, so she applies, is apprehensive during the interview, and even lies about how often she frequents the store. She used to love it, honest. But she feels like she’s grown up since then, like she’s leagues past all of the pink and the cartoon characters.

The thing about working is that you can’t escape the influence of your environment.

Choi Hyojung ties her hair in pigtails, keeps her uniform well ironed, and blends into the store like a chameleon. Mihyun’s first impression is formed from a white headband, two pink bows, and glitter eyeshadow.

Mihyun is less than awed. She must be working for a high schooler.

“Hi, you must be Mihyun!” Hyojung says with a huge grin. “I’m Hyojung, one of the staff here. I'm in my 4th year of college.”

Mihyun’s internal monologue acts up on her. This girl, she’s nothing like you’d expect or that Mihyun wants to be. She doesn’t say anything out loud about it, though.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Mihyun says politely.  _I don’t know if we’re going to get along._

“People tend to say I’m friendly.” Hyojung nods with a self assured smile. “So I think you’re gonna find it easy here.”

It almost frightens Mihyun, how inviting that aura is.

  
 

They unpack boxes, stripping them of tan-colored tape and scattering plastic and packing peanuts all over the showroom floor. Hyojung sits criss-cross-applesauce in the middle of it all.

“Is this okay?” Mihyun asks, looking at the mess surrounding them. “People are going to come in.”

Hyojung waves her hand dismissively. “It’s ‘k, it shows that we’re working.” That definitely sounds wrong, Mihyun thinks, but she’s not gonna start a fuss on her first day.

They sort the hair clips by design. Hyojung says that in the end they just grab a pile and put them where they fit on the racks, though it doesn’t stop Mihyun from feeling like there’s a severe lack of organization.

Teenagers come in and look at the purses while Hyojung chats up a storm and Mihyun is almost too caught up in it to notice.

“My sister’s birthday is next week and I have no idea what to get her. It really snuck up on me this year.”

“What do you usually get her? I don’t know anything about her, I dunno how I can help,” Mihyun says, laughing nervously.

“When I was a kid, I used to give her self-composed songs. They were all kind of bad and maybe partially plagiarized by accident, haha.” Hyojung’s face scrunches up when she laughs at the end of her sentence. “And now I get her books because I get an employee discount, isn’t that so bad of me?”

“You work at a bookstore too?” Mihyun wants to ask about the songs too, but she’s getting so much personal information thrown at her that it’s kind of dizzying.

“I work a lot of places, Mihyun, this isn’t the least of it.” Hyojung smiles, amused. “You know, I-”

The girls who are shopping hold out a basket and ask “Can we pay?” in an very impatient voice.

“Oh, yeah, of course!” Hyojung stands up and plastic wrappers fall off her skirt. Somehow she still turns up the enthusiasm to 11 when customers are around, and Mihyun feels like it’s already at 10 with her.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Mihyun says. Hyojung doesn’t have to be sorry, she makes up for it in actions.

  
 

Strawberry closes at 9, and Hyojung runs through a mental list of the tasks they have to do before they exit. Mihyun is delegated to do a few, and Hyojung checks on everything when she’s done. “You learned a lot today.” Hyojung gives her an approving thumbs up. “Pretty great for a first-time learner.

“I feel like you were supposed to teach me more than this,” Mihyun says. “But thanks a lot.”

Hyojung pulls the metal shutter and closes the store for the night.

Mihyun holds her bag with two hands. “Um, I’ll go now.”

“Oh, wait for me,” Hyojung calls, tying her very white shoelaces.

Mihyun’s afraid that at this rate Hyojung will offer to walk her home. It’s fine, I can get back by myself _,_  she plans to say. She has so many words lined up in her head, prepared to answer when Hyojung is too kind and too forthcoming.

Her thoughts are interrupted though, as always.

“Did you walk here?” Hyojung asks when they exit the mall through the main entrance.

“Yeah, I’m used to it. My house is actually pretty close to here.”

“Ahh, you’re so lucky. I live about 25 minutes away.” Hyojung rummages through her purse.

“By  _car?_ ”

The keys dangle on her finger, clinking together with her numerous keychains. “Yep. I was here for the smoothie place in the food court first, and in some way I managed to get more hours here. Hyejin gave me a lot of hers. But I love it.”

The words slip out of Mihyun’s mouth before she even realizes. “You’re full of surprises, Hyojung.”

“You won’t meet someone like me every day,” Hyojung says. “I’m as rare as... hm, seeing shooting stars. Or a lunar eclipse.”

“Not a solar one?” Mihyun ventures to say, her face breaking into a small smile. It’s infectious.

She takes a step towards the street and Hyojung waits at the edge of the sidewalk, pointing to a silver sedan parked in the middle of nowhere, far into the lot.

“I’m not  _that_  special, Mihyun. Have a good night!”

Mihyun feels some ice melt inside of her.

  
 

**WINTER.**

But as Mihyun finds out, the cold season has only just started.

“I know this girl, who can teach us,” Hyojung says when the store is empty. It’s midday on a Tuesday, and the only girls that come in are the rebellious kids with blazers tied around their waists. Hyojung, being a responsible adult, always admonishes them - “Education is  _so_  important” - and they usually leave without buying anything. Mihyun just smiles and makes a mental note not tell Hyojung about her own past.

“That sounds good...” She looks out into the mall, where occasionally a mom comes by with a stroller, or a group in business attire comes out of the fancy restaurant across the hall. Hyojung has no distractions.

“She’s an instructor at the rink downtown, and she’s the cutest person I’ve ever set eyes on, honestly, but that’s besides the point. You’re going to learn to ice skate, whether you like it or not.”

Mihyun nods nervously. She has no idea why she’s agreeing to this. She has a number of assignments for her design class due tomorrow, but somehow Hyojung convinced her to go ice skating at the pop-up rink in the middle of the park.

Neither of them have ever ice skated before. (That’s what’s gonna make it fun, Hyojung insists.)

“You have a friend who teaches ice skating and you’ve never gone?”

“I was a scared child,” Hyojung says defensively. “What’s your excuse?”

“I used to live in the south, they don’t really have ice skating there...”

“Oh, okay, fine. I was hoping you would say you were scared too. You know, I’m still kind of...” Hyojung trails.

Mihyun looks at her. “Kind of scared,” she says bluntly.

“I didn’t want to say it, you meanie.” Hyojung pouts like a little kid, and honestly, this shouldn’t be allowed.

“Well, I said it for you,” Mihyun ends up answering subconsciously, as her head floats into the clouds.

  
 

It’s still bright out when they arrive at the park. Hyojung pulls Mihyun by the wrist, but she’s happy to go along. Yewon, the skating teacher Hyojung was talking about, is talking to another girl as they reach the skates rental.

They give Jiho their shoe sizes as Hyojung gladly introduces them. “How do you know everyone?” Mihyun asks, bewildered. “Like, you seem to know everyone everywhere, not even just here.”

Hyojung winks. “I’m very friendly, you know that, Mihyun.”

The rink is decorated with glowing lights and lanterns of different pastel colors lighting up the trees.

“Just hold onto the railing at first,” Yewon instructs, and Mihyun complies, but Hyojung slips on the ice as soon as she steps foot on it. “Oh, Hyojung.” Yewon helps her up, Hyojung shamefully looking at the ground.

“This isn’t easy at all, Yewon! You said it was easy!”

“Okay, just start moving slowly like this,” Yewon demonstrates, ignoring her. “You got it, Mihyun!”

To her own shock, Mihyun doesn’t think it’s too hard and is soon meters ahead of them, Yewon still holding Hyojung’s hand and offering constant support.

“Aw, I’m holding you guys back,” Hyojung complains. “I’m so bad at this.”

“Yeah, you get a punishment,” Mihyun says with cheek. “Look, I can let go of the railing now.”

“Sing for us, Hyojung.” Mihyun turns to look back in surprise. “Please,” Yewon adds shyly.

“Yewonie...” Hyojung glares, pretending to be angry.

“Please!” she squeaks. “We all wanna hear it. Have you heard her sing before, Mihyun? She’s talented.”

“No...” The truth is Mihyun is kind of curious about it. Hyojung has talked about singing but she’s never volunteered herself to. She can’t really bring herself to be forward about wanting to hear it though.

“This is embarrassing! Mihyun, don’t encourage her!”

“Please please please,” Yewon whines in a cute voice.

“CHOI YEWON! ... I’ll do it.”

Yewon claps with a sly smile on her face. “Mission accomplished.”

“Ahh, I don’t know what to sing...” Anything, Mihyun thinks.

Yewon complains that she’s taking too long and takes off. Hyojung decides, finally, while she twirls and spins in the middle of the rink, Mihyun applauding from the edge.

“‘Cause it’s you and me and all of the people with nothing to do, nothing to lose...” Her voice is clear, and her eyes are shut tight.

Mihyun looks at her with an open mouth, and Hyojung looks up shyly.

“Choi Hyojung, you’re amazing.” Truly, genuinely, Mihyun wants to add, but without the confidence to. Then she realizes that she shouldn’t have interrupted, because now it’s over.

Hyojung shakes her head furiously and stares out into the trees. Yewon skates back and cries foul play when she refuses to sing again, citing that their chance has passed.

Yewon sighs dramatically. “Was it good, at least, Mihyun? Like you expected?”

“Very good,” she answers.

Hyojung never finishes the chorus, but Mihyun knows the lyrics.

_and it’s you and me and all other people and I don’t know why, I can’t keep my eyes off of you._

  
 

Hyojung shivers. When it gets dark, the wind seems to pick up too.

Yewon has to teach actual students, so once Hyojung is good enough to stand on her own feet, she abandons the two. As soon as that happens, Hyojung gives up on learning to skate.

They walk over to the benches outside of the rink, near where Jiho’s stationed. “My feet are so tired. It’s time to buy some overpriced drinks! Do you want coffee or hot chocolate? Cookies?”

“I’m broke,” Mihyun reminds her. She didn’t take the job at Strawberry for fun. Even those paychecks don’t go into her pocket money, a lot of it goes to her apartment and groceries (she’s too poor to eat out at all, basically). Some of it goes home too. And if she really wanted to she could probably spare enough for a macchiato, but it would be bad to make a habit of it.

“I’m gonna pay,” Hyojung says with a ‘duh’ look on her face, as if Mihyun is saying nonsense.

“Oh, don’t,” Mihyun says faintly.

“You should learn to take advantage of people,” Jiho lectures from over the counter, but she’s teasing. “Please don’t worry and just let Hyojung treat you.”

“Yeah, listen to Jiho!” Mihyun meets her eyes. They glimmer and are bright like the snow when light hits, and she just looks so, so happy.

"Only if you really want to," Mihyun says, giving in, but as soon as she opens her mouth Hyojung skips off to the concession stand.

Mihyun just looks after her, Seunghee waiting at the counter with an unsurprised expression. Hyojung talks with her hands, animated and excited. "I don't even think she heard me say okay."

"She knew because when you let her do things, you start by sighing, but then the corners of your mouth raise up a little like you're about to smile. But then you try to cover it up by keeping a straight face," Jiho says from beside her. Mihyun blinks rapidly.

"I'm observant," Jiho continues. "Hyojung's in love."

("I use the term loosely," Jiho admits later, but after seeing Mihyun's reaction, she's already got what she was looking for.)

  
 

**SPRING.**

“Welcome to Strawberry!” A worker chirps, standing at the store entrance as Shiah walks in. Shiah nods and starts looking at the hair clips. It looks like Mihyun isn’t working today, but this girl, all smiles and sparkles, is someone she feels like she knows through stories.

She lifts her fingers to a cherry-shaped clip when the girl receives a phone call. Shiah recognizes the ringtone, it’s that song called Step By Step. She has good taste.

“Hey, Mihyunnn!”

Shiah’s ears perk up, and she relaxes her hand. So we finally meet, Hyojung.

“Why are you calling?... Oh my gosh, that’s so funny. Thanks for telling me. I’m at work, duh. I’m the only one here... I know, the manager doesn’t want to pay anyone else.”

Shiah decides to buy a few extra cherry clips.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow, Mimi!” Hyojung hangs up with a giggle, and slips her phone back in her pocket. Then she goes back to standing behind the cash register, organizing some papers.

Shiah almost drops her handful of elastics. Mimi?  _Mimi?_

Kim Mihyun has some explaining to do.

   
 

**SHIAHSHIAH**

      i like,       _11:36_

      didn’t know you had a new best friend       _11:36_

      “mimi”!!!!!!!       _11:36_

      this betrayal.       _11:37_

please,,,       _11:37_

it’s not that deep       _11:38_

wait how do you even know about       _11:41_

**SHIAHSHIAH**

      i know everything mihyun       _11:45_

      every. thing. :]       _11:45_

      i just mean like       _11:45_

      how do you get close to someone, that close and i never realized       _11:47_

      she seems lovely       _11:49_

to be honest       _11:54_

even i didn’t realize       _11:55_

  
 

Hyojung takes her out to see the cherry blossoms, on a cold Monday afternoon. It was Mihyun's idea, kind of.

"I want to go at some point," she had said at the end of their morning shift. The next thing she knew, Hyojung pulled on her coat and dragged her out the door.

“To the park!”

“I said at some point, not now,” Mihyun protests to no avail. They were just talking about nice pictures, but in the end they were both free and Hyojung was entirely unstoppable.

“Now is ‘at some point.’ You gotta say what you mean next time, Mimi.”

Mihyun pretends to agree as if she wasn’t on board the whole time. “Let’s walk along the river, then,” she decides.

  
 

The cherry blossom trees are beautiful, so Mihyun forgives her.

Mihyun looks through her texts, Hyojung clinging to her left arm.

“Let me see what name I’m saved as in your phone,” Hyojung says, nudging Mihyun in the side.

She’s startled and stops in her tracks. “Um, you’re just in there as Choi Hyojung.”

“Really?” Hyojung’s voice falters and she looks fairly disappointed. “You’re Mimi in mine with two hearts surrounding it.”

“Yeah, really,” Mihyun says, and suddenly feels bad, even though she didn’t do anything on purpose. “I just never thought to change it.”

“That’s no fun, Mimi.” Mihyun shrugs and gives her the phone.

“Then change it.”

“ _Really?_ ” Hyojung looks so enthusiastic Mihyun almost feels like it’s a huge pity she’s not a more giving person, because Hyojung could be made happy so easily. She deserves someone that can do it easily -

She’s lost in thought and the phone already lands back in her hands before she knows it, along with two pink petals.

_[HYOJUNGIE]_

“Wait, it’s really no fun if I put my own nickname in someone else’s phone,” Hyojung says, frowning. “Change it.”

Mihyun shrugs and edits the contact again.

“Let me see-”

“No, now it’s a secret.”

“Kim Mihyun!”

  
 

Before they leave, Mihyun has to say goodbye. Goodbyes with Hyojung are always more complicated than she wants them to be, because she makes them feel like long farewells.

"You're my very very good friend," Hyojung says, "and I love you."

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she chooses to say today, and hugs her back.

Mihyun doesn’t know what this feeling is.

  
 

In the evening, Mihyun stops stirring her pot of pasta to pick up her phone and check her messages.

      

**JJUNGIE♥**

      Hey! What are you doing? Eating?       _18:21_

      Sending this instead of kkt so you can see the nickname hehehe        _18:21_

      Hope it’s a cute one       _18:22_

 

"You're kind of devoted to her," Yoobin says over the phone that night. "And we all know she's been devoted to you since the day you met."

"Um, what's devoted, supposed to mean," Mihyun asks in pieces, curling her hair around her index finger. She makes the decision to call Yoobin because she's always right. That doesn't mean she can take it all without pushing back even a little.

"Hyojung is just that kind of person that finds someone she likes and clings to them. You're the person who didn't want to get attached and did anyway."

"Now that's a bold claim," Mihyun says, only halfway meaning to attack.

"I think she made you really happy."

"Yoobin..."

"You called me. You don’t ever talk about these things to me."

"You don't even know Hyojung at all, just what I've told you."

"I know you," Yoobin says, "and I know how you've changed."

When Mihyun hangs up the phone, she washes up and turns off the lights. Then she lies in bed and thinks for a long time.

 

**SUMMER.**

Hyojung has entirely wormed her way into Mihyun’s life, twisted and wound her roots into Mihyun’s ground. They are here to stay. Mihyun swears it hasn’t been two weeks, but almost a year has passed since she was hired at Strawberry.

The younger girls in the shop come up to Mihyun and ask how she tied her hair up in those beautiful braids. Mihyun shows them the method patiently as Hyojung watches.

“Also, these hair ties are the best,” she adds, pointing to the light purple bows in her hair. “They never break.”

They walk out with a bag full of accessories, and Hyojung laughs.

“You should be so proud of yourself, Mimi, you’re a true salesgirl now. You’ve eclipsed me.” Mihyun has learned to ignore the space puns.

“I could never,” Mihyun says, rolling her eyes. Seeing Hyojung now is funny, too, because she’s scaled back her work outfit prep time in favor of packing boxes, and the look is a lot simpler. The single ponytail in her hair is tied with a pink scrunchie, though. Not everything changes.

  
 

Mihyun is on the floor of Hyojung's apartment, lying on the fur carpet as she scrolls through her Instagram feed. The light from the sunset streams through the balcony curtains and fills the room.

"Hey, Mimi?" Hyojung asks from the couch above her.

"Yeah?"

“Can you come on Saturday when I move out?”

Mihyun swallows and tries not to look at her. Still, peripheral vision is a traitor. Strands of Hyojung’s light brown ponytail float in the air, stirred by the ceiling fan. The room is perfectly arranged to take advantage of the ‘resources’ during the hot summer, she’s emphasized. Seunghee spent the good part of a Sunday putting this together under her orders. It’s sad, then, that it’s about to come apart.

“I work on Saturday. All day.”

“Can you ask Hyejin to change it?”

Hyojung’s voice is strangely vulnerable. Instead of confidently directing Mihyun to switch shifts, she asks, because she actually wants it rather desperately.

“I have to earn enough for the fall tuition deposit.” Her throat is dry.

“Can you spare a day?”

Mihyun’s silence is trying to say that her inability to do so doesn’t mean she doesn’t care, or that she doesn’t want to. But any words she tries to find to articulate this aloud are daunting, and instead she settles, knowing Hyojung will understand.

“I’ll see you off on Friday.”

  
 

Day turns into night.

“Moments like this feel like once in a lifetime,” Hyojung says. “Years like this.” She grips Mihyun’s hand tightly, even though it’s kind of sweaty. Even outside on the balcony, the breeze is barely enough to keep them cool. “So lucky to have met you.”

“Like a shooting star. No, like Halley’s Comet.”

“You’ve sure learned a lot from my constant space ramblings.” Hyojung smiles.

“How could I not? You’re going off to study that more- and anyways, those are things everyone knows, they don’t have to hang around a dork like you.”

Hyojung gets out of her chair and leans against the metal railing. “You know, I was always afraid of this, the height,” she says. Hyojung lives on the 14th floor.

“I guess it’s your last chance to conquer that fear. Glad you’re trying!” Mihyun says, dodging Hyojung’s slap by twisting in her seat.

“Hush, Mimi. I’m trying my best.”

"I'm gonna miss you a lot when you move," she says next, on impulse.

Hyojung is quiet.

“Hyejin will take my shifts again, so you’ll get to see a lot more of her.”

“I’m excited for that, really.”

“I’m happy you can look at the bright sides of this.”

There’s a lot of light pollution in the city, which makes the sky a dull dark blue every night. They aren’t really looking at anything outside but the bustle of urban life. The reality is that this is part of why Hyojung had to go.

“Ugh, you know, sometimes I wonder why I chose to continue school hours and hours away from here. I grew up here, and I’m leaving it all.”

“Don’t even second guess yourself here, Hyojung.” It kind of hurts more, feeling like there was ever a chance she was going to stay. “We’re gonna meet more than once in a lifetime.”

“I’m gonna miss you like crazyyyyyy.”

“You’re also going to call me like every day for the first month and then forget about me, because grad school,” Mihyun brings up. Hyojung swats at her.

“Stop it. You know I love you too much to do that.”

Mihyun fills in the blank in her head, what comes next, but she can’t say it. She’s never been able to.

“Well, who is it that made you so afraid like this?” Mihyun imagines Hyojung saying to her. Then she simulates the following lack of response, void of sound.

That’s not what happens, because as usual, Hyojung exceeds her expectations.

“We should have had a goodbye dinner for me, but I told Yoobin not to do it because I was just going to cry the whole time.”

Thank you, Mihyun thinks. For changing the subject.

Her response to it can be delayed, but it doesn’t stop her from still thinking about those three words - “I feel like every goodbye I’ve had with you has just prepared me for this one. But I have no idea how I’m going to say anything that I’m feeling.”

“I’m too used to saying everything I feel out loud,” Hyojung says, smiling wistfully.

Hyojung is always the one pushing things forward, starting friendships, taking initiative.

Hyojung is like that to everyone.

“I like that about you,” Mihyun admits. “I like that you make everyone feel as welcome as you made me feel on my first day at work.”

“But I’m not really like that,” Hyojung says.

“You are, that friendly.”

Not to everyone.

“I’m not that nice. I’m just... normal. And I just shower people with love when, you know, I love them.”

The words keep slipping out of Hyojung’s mouth, not on purpose at all, Mihyun knows. It’s obvious by the way her lips always curl over after and she brushes her hair back and says her next sentences with nerves running through her. But she keeps saying it, and it’s like a rushing river, and Mihyun can’t bear it anymore.

“It's hard for me to say I love you,” Mihyun says, and even then it doesn’t come easy. “It's residual.”

Hyojung is still looking out at the stars she can’t see. Mihyun, facing her back, continues on.

“I think it's easy when you say it to a lot of people.”

“I love a lot of people,” Hyojung says softly.

“I've had to say it when I didn't mean it before.”

Hyojung’s breath hitches. Mihyun hates it, she hates that saying the the truth can hurt like this. But it is surely temporary. Mihyun isn’t regretful or pained about the past anymore.

"But, I like..." Mihyun pauses.

"I like that you never made me say it."

Hyojung answers with nothing. The silence fills the air, but Mihyun doesn't feel suffocated at all.

It feels like Hyojung is waiting for her.

  
 

On Friday, Mihyun says goodbye.

On Saturday, when Hyojung is nestled in the passenger seat of her dad’s car, Mihyun says I love you.


End file.
